Bottle carrier



Sept. 5, 1967 P. .1. WOOD BOTTLE CARRIER Filed on. so, 1964 INVENTOR. PRENTICE JNVOOD ATTQ RNY United States Patent 3,339,723 BOTTLE CARRIER Prentice J. Wood, Jonesboro, Ga., assignor to The Mead Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 407,728 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to bottle carriers of the wraparound type and more particularly is directed to means integrally formed with the wrapper for holding the bottles securely apart within the wrapper and against collision with each other and thereby to minimize breakage.

In one known wrapper type package for primary packages such as bottles, the wrapper is disposed about a group of packaged items in a very tight manner thereby to secure the packaged items in close contact with each other and in this way to protect against breakage due to collision. Such packages are objectionable in that they impose a substantial stress on the packaged items and thereby render the bottles more subject to breakage upon collision with foreign objects.

In another wrap-around package for bottles, it is the practice to provide separating means arranged between adjacent bottles so as to prevent direct collision therebetween and thereby to afford protection against breakage.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved wrap-around type of bottle carrier wherein improved bottle engaging means are formed integrally with the wrapper so as to protect against bottle breakage.

Another object of this invention is the provision of improved bottle engaging means which is integrally formed with the wrapper itself and which serves to holdeach individual primary package in a secure position relative to the wrapper and somewhat spaced from its fellows thereby to prevent bottle contact and breakage.

The invention in one form as applied to a bottle carrier of the wrap-around type comprises a plurality of bottle engaging elements in the form of loop panels struck out of the wrapper and adjacent the top portions of the bottles for enveloping the neck portions thereof thereby to hold the bottles individually in secure positions relative to the wrapper, the bottles being slightly spaced from each other.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle carrier to which the invention is applied; FIG. 2 is an end view of the carrier depicted in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a side view of the carrier depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 as designated in FIG. 3; and in which FIG. 5 is a plan view of the unitary blank from which the carrier depicted in FIGS. 1-4 is formed.

With reference to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a main central panel to the end edges of which a pair of end panels 2 and 3 are foldably joined along fold lines 4 and 5 respectively. Web panels 6 and 7 are foldably joined to the end edges of the end panels 2 and Patented Sept. 5, 1967 3 respectively along lines which constitute extensions of the side edges of the main central panel 1. Likewise, web panels 8 and 9 are foldably joined to the opposite ends of the end panels 2 and 3 respectively.

When the carton blank of FIG. 5 is manipulated so as to form a completed package as shown for example in FIG. 1, the end panels are disposed at an angle to the main central panel 1 and are held in that position by the web panels 6-9, inclusive.

For the purpose of rendering the carrier readily portable, a pair of finger gripping apertures 10 are formed in the main central panel 1 in known manner.

Conforming with the shoulders of the packaged bottles, a pair of top sloping panels 11 and 12 are foldably joined along the fold lines 13 and 14 to the side edges of the main central panel 1. As is obvious from the drawings, the web panels 6-9 inclusive are foldably joined to the ends of the end panels 2 and 3 and to the ends of the sloping panels 11 and 12. A pair of side wall panels 15 and 16 are foldably joined to the top sloping panels 11 and 12, respectively, along the fold lines 17 and 18. Similarly, bottom sloping panels 19 and 20 are foldably joined to the bottom edges of side wall panels 15 .and 16 along the fold lines 21 and 22, respectively. Formed in bottom sloping panel 19 are the bottle receiving openings 23, 24 and 25. As is well known, the bottom portion of the bottles protrude through the openings 23, 24 and 25 which serve to hold the bottles in place within the carrier and thereby aid in preventing bottle damage. In like fashion, the openings 26, 27 and 28 are formed in the bottom sloping panel 20 and correspond to the openings 24 and 25.

For forming the bottom of the carrier, a pair of bottom panels 29 and 30 are foldably joined respectively to the bottom sloping panels 20 and 19 along the fold lines 31 and 32.

In order to tighten the wrapper about a group of bottles to be packaged, a pair of tightening apertures 33 and 34 are formed within the bottom panel 29 and a pair of similar tightening apertures 35 and 36 are formed within the bottom panel 30. As is understood in the art, suitable machine elements enter the tightening apertures 33 and 34 and move underneath the group of articles toward the bottom panel 30. Similar machine elements enter the tightening apertures 35 and 36 and draw the panel 30 toward the bottom panel 29; After the wrapper is suitably tightened, the locking tabs 37-40formed in the bottom panel 29 are driven through the locking openings defined by the retaining tabs 41-44 formed in the bottom panel 30. Of course the panels 29 and 30 are arranged in overlapping relationship with the panel 30 disposed on the inside.

position generally normal to the bottom panels 29 and 30 as is shown for example in FIGS. 3 and 4.

For the purpose of forming a closure for the ends of the wrapper as described above, a pair of end closure panels 53 and 54 are foldably joined along fold lines 55 and 56 respectively to the ends of the side wall panel 15. Similarly, a pair of end closure panels 57 and 58 are foldably joined along fold lines 59 and 60 respectively to the end edges of side wall panel 16. A hooked interlocking tab '61 is formed on the inner edge of end panel 53 while a similar interlocking tab 62 is formed on the inner edge of end panel 54. For receiving the interlocking tabs 61 and 62 so as to form interlocking means for the end panels at the end of the carrier, a pair of slits 63 and 64 are formed respectively in the end panels 57 and 58. As can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tab 61 simply slips through the slit 63 from outside so as to secure the end panels 53 and 57 to each other.

In order to hold the closure means comprising the end panels 53 and 57 inwardly and in engagement with the adjacent end bottles, a pair of locking notches are formed in a medial keel panel designated by the numeral 65 and foldably joined along fold line 66 to one edge of the bottom panel 30. The notches are designated at 67 and 68. As is understood in the art, the keel panel 65 normally is disposed in perpendicular relationship to the bottom panels 29 and 30 as is best shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 and separates the rows of bottles to aid in protecting the bottles against breakage.

As will be understood from the drawing, the outer end panel 53 is simply forced inwardly toward the end bottles until the lower portion thereof rides into the locking notch 67. Of course this arrangement serves to hold both panels 53 and 57 securely closed. Likewise, end closure panels 54 and 58 are held in the closed position by locking notch 68 at the other end of medial keel panel 65.

As can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the end panel 53 is configured to conform with the adjacent portions of the wrapper as is the end panel 57. For example, end panel 53 is bevelled as indicated at 69 so as to conform generally with the disposition of top sloping panel 11. Likewise, end panel 53 is bevelled as indicated at 70 so as to cause the end panel 53 to conform generally with the disposition of bottom sloping panel 19. Similarly, the end panel 57 is bevelled at 71 and 72. End panels 54 and 58 are constructed in a manner to cause those panels to conform to the opposite end of the carrier.

From the description thus far, it will be understood that protection for the packaged items is afforded at the ends of the wrapper in the form of the end panels 53, 54 and 57, 58 and the structure associated therewith. The end panels and associated structure form the subject matter of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 407,779, filed Oct. 30, 1964.

In accordance with this invention a plurality of bottle engaging elements 73, 74 and 75 are struck at least in part from sloping panel 11 and similarly bottle engaging loop panels 76, 77 and 78 are struck at least in part from sloping panel 12. These loop panels are swung inwardly relative to the sloping panels 11 and 12 and the main central panel 1 into positions overlying and enveloping the neck portions of the packaged bottles as best shown for example in FIG. 4 where the loops 74 and 77 are shown as disposed about the necks of the bottles B and immediately below the lower edge of the caps C for the bottles. Thus from FIG. 4 it is apparent that the bottles B are held apart in spaced relation due to the action of the 100p panels 74 and 77. In this manner bottle breakage is prevented in accordance with this invention. It will be understood that the bottom portions of the bottles are separated by the keel panel 65 and that the apertures 2328 serve to hold the bottom portions of the bottles against dislodgement through the ends of the wrapper while the loop panels 73-78 effectively serve to secure the upper portions of the bottles in place relative to the wrapper itself.

In this connection, it is apparent that the arcuate semi-circular loop panels 73-78 define notches in the sloping panels which notches receive a part of the neck of a bottle, the other side of the bottle neck being enveloped by the loop panel. Thus each loop panel and its notch constitute secure holding means for preventing substantial movement of the enveloped bottle neck relative to the wrapper.

As is apparent particularly from FIG. 5 the loop panels define a plurality of bottle covering tabs designated in the drawing by the numerals 79-84, inclusive. These tabs simply overlie the caps of the bottles and afford protection therefor and conveniently are defined by the inner configuration of the inner edges of the associated loop panels.

From the description above, it is apparent that according to this invention the package primary articles such as the bottles B are effectively anchored relative to the wrapper and in spaced relation to each other. In this manner protection is afforded against bottle breakage and package security is substantially enhanced.

In the claims the term top portion is used. It is to be understood that this term contemplates the main central panel 1 as well as the top sloping panels 11 and 12. The term bottom portion is also used in the claims. It is to be understood that this terminology contemplates the bottom portion of the carrier including the bottom panels 29 and 30 as well as the bottom sloping panels 19 and 20.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A wrap-around type of bottle carrier comprising a main central panel, a sloping panel foldably joined to a side edge of said main central panel, a loop panel of generally arcuate semi-circular configuration struck at least in part from said sloping panel and defining a notch therein for receiving a part of a neck of a bottle, said loop panel being swung inwardly into enveloping relation to a bottle neck thereby to restrain it against a substantial transverse movement in any direction relative to the carrier.

2. A bottle package comprising a sheet of flexible material with its ends secured together to form a wrapper having top and bottom portions interconnected by a pair of side portions, at least one capped bottle 'disposed within the wrapper with its to and neck portions disposed underneath said top portion of the wrapper, and a loop panel of generally arcuate semicircular configuration struck out of said top portion of the wrapper and folded inwardly so as to evelope the top of the bottle and with at least a part thereof disposed underneath the bottle cap, said loop panel being effective to prevent substantial movement of the bottle relative to the wrapper.

3. A bottle carrier for packaging two rows of bottles arranged in a rectilinear pattern with their axes substantially parallel, said carrier comprising a sheet of flexible material with its ends secured together to form top and bottom portions interconnected by a pair of side portions, said top portion being arranged to overlie the tops of the bottles, and a plurality of loop panels struck out of said top portion and folded inwardly into enveloping engagement respectively with the tops of the bottles, said loop panels being arranged in tension to hold the tops of the bottles in each row securely against a side portion of the carrier so as to prevent substantial movement toward the adjacent bottles in the other row thereby to maintain bottle separation and package stability.

4. A carrier according to claim 3 wherein the fold lines for the loop panels for each row of bottles are disposed in substantially aligned and spaced relation and in general coincidence with the axes of the bottles of each row of bottles respectively.

5. A carrier according to claim 3 wherein the top portion comprises a main central panel and a pair of sloping panels foldably joined along the side edges respectively of said main panel and generally conforming with the sloping necks of the packaged bottles and wherein a substantial part of each bottle engaging loop panel is struck out one of said sloping panels.

6. A carrier according to claim 5 wherein individual bottle covering tabs overlie the tops of each of the packaged bottles, said bottle covering tabs being defined by the inner edges of the associated loop panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,950,854 8/1960 Ganz 229-40 3,157,309 11/1964 Chidsey et al. 3,223,308 12/1965 Weiss 22940 3,252,649 5/1966 Graser 229-40 3,253,706 5/1966 Spillson 22940 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE R. RALSTON, Examiner. 

1. A WRAP-AROUND TYPE OF BOTTLE CARRIER COMPRISING A MAIN CENTRAL PANEL, A SLOPING PANEL FOLDABLY JOINED TO A SIDE EDGE OF SAID MAIN CENTRAL PANEL, A LOOP PANEL OF GENERALLY ARCUATE SEMI-CIRCULAR CONFIGURATION STRUCK AT LEAST IN PART FROM SAID SLOPING PANEL AND DEFINING A NOTCH THEREIN FOR RECEIVING A PART OF A NECK OF A BOTTLE, SAID LOOP PANEL BEING SWUNG INWARDLY INTO ENVELOPING RELATION TO A BOTTLE NECK THEREBY TO RESTRAIN IT AGAINST A SUBSTANTIAL TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT IN ANY DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE CARRIER. 